Archive for the 'Garage/Rock' Category

Probably the hugest hit for half-Belgian/half-Spanish/English-born/American-raised singer Janette Anne Dimech – aka Jeanette. Initially recorded in 1974 while living in Spain, Porque Te Vas (because you are leaving) became a global sensation when the song was used in Carlos Saura’s 1976 acclaimed Spanish film Cría Cuervos.

This song used to annoy the hell out of me – I first heard it as a cover song in 2002-3 by the US/Mexican indie group Los Super Elegantes (remember them, anyone?). Usually dead pan, bratty sounding females singing in Spanish would make me cringe. But I’m actually liking this song right now – what’s the world coming to? Anyway, Porque Te Vas would go on to be covered by many others bands and even attained cult status in Russia in 1979 – so at least I’m not the only person thats liking this song. Please Enjoy!

As you know I like my 45 scratchy and slow, so with that I give you these slowed down Peruvian delights.

The first one is La Cumbia del Japones by Los Destellos, notice the riff on Caliventura by Afrosound, not sure which one came first. (on a side note, I know it seems kinda messed up that they would be making fun of the Japanese language etc. but I’m sure they were just having fun joking around with the many plays on language between Spanish & Japanese.)

The next is a killer version of Led Zepplin’s Moby Dick by Los Commandos, I especially like how the slowed down speed adds good weight to those dirgey guitars, and finally, Pollos Ala Brasa by Banda Huarochiri, a beautiful little tune that proves simplicity is the key to greatness. Cheers!

Ron & the Embracers were a semi-obscure group from East Los Angeles, CA. That’s about all that I know of them. “Latin Blood” is the A-side to their highly sweated Brown-eyed Northern Soul tune “You Came Into My Life” on Spectrum, and it’s a heavy instrumental complete with nice keys, a reverbed-out guitar and loud horns a la Los Vampiros. I’ve personally been jamming this out all winter, since it has a nice vibe to it that suits this time of year. Perfect for a crisp, sunny winter day in California.

Now for the Northern Soul tune. The horns on this track are what it’s all about for me here, but really it has a lot going for it. For one, Ron’s voice is like butter over the backing soul music. I’ve never heard of this fellow named Al Maldonado, who apparently produced both of the songs on this 45, but I’d love to hear anything else he had a hand in!

Thanks for the great songs Adam. Be sure to check out Adam’s blog Musica Del Alma – not only has Adam been a guest here before, but he’s the type of guy who’ll come to your house with a bottle of whiskey and bag full of records I’ve never seen or heard before. He is a gentleman and a scholar.

For the last 2 years I’ve been trying to somehow fit the Prime Mates 45 “Hot Tamales” into these February sessions. The thing is, if I put this song into the mix, I am kind of straying Super Sonido’s path of all things “Latin”. But if Alan Toussaint (you can hear him playing piano) didn’t have a production credit or if it wasn’t on the Sansu label, I probably would assume that it was some obscure East L.A. garage band doing this number. Also, to the credit of Mr. Dunbar and the amazing instrumental “Latin Blood”, I would have never thrown up this comparable gem. Nevertheless, this is my blog so I can do whatever I want – Latin or not. Toussaint, the Meters, Art Neville (organ?), fuzz guitar, and hot tamales? I’m sure I can be forgiven. Enjoy!

In 1991, when I was 20 years old, I took a bus from the Oakland Greyhound to San Diego. From Tijuana I took a direct 52+ hour bus ride to Guanajuato, Mexico (the 2 lane highways really sucked back then). If I had a nickel for every time I heard Yndio‘s Sin Tu Amor (without your love) on the radio, I could have purchased a small house down there (the peso was very weak back then).

Although the do-wop sounding Mexican ballad had been around for a while, it was the 1972 Sin Tu Amor that is probably the most famous. It was a massive hit for this group of norteños from Hermosillo. They really tried to run with that sound, as you can see with the two other songs in this post – both of which are from their next two subsequent albums. They do have some psych/hard rock numbers in the mid-70’s and recorded garage rock under the name Los Pulpos (hard to find/very rare) in the late 60’s. Otherwise, they fell into the Norteño/Banda trap like so many other musicians did in the 80’s. It was like $3000 pesos to the dollar in 1991, remember? Enjoy.

Best known for his country singing in the 70’s and his American Tejano sound of the 90’s, it would have come as no surprise that Freddie Fender began his career as a rock and roll/rockabilly/ranchera cross-over musician. Born Baldemar Garza Huerta in San Benito, Texas – Fender, who legally changed his name in 1958, would first find fame in that era covering a Spanish version of Elvis Presley’s “Don’t Be Cruel”. However, stardom was cut short in the early 60’s due to a marijuana possession arrest, something which he wouldn’t emerge/recover from for several years later.

I’m thinking that the 45’s in this post come right at a time prior to his incarceration. Nevertheless, the same kind of musical fusion, like that of the country/rock/tejano music he was popular for in the late period of his life, is apparent throughout these tracks. A mix of rock, calypso, to an old school Mexican party standard with “La Banda Esta Borracha” (the band is drunk) is a reflection of varying genres he was able to perform. Even his distinctive voice and dark emotional ballad like Que Tal Amor (how are you my love) reminded me instantly of Roy Orbison, another cross-over Texas native. Anyway, some super rare tejano roots music from the legend Freddie Fender. Be sure to check out an older post of a rare boogaloo number he did, still one of my favorite guest post/songs on this site. Enjoy!

Great 70’s psychedelia from the northeastern state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Composers/vocalists Alceu Valença & Geraldo Azevedo would eventually end up being part of a more main-stream/popular Brazilian rock scene later in their careers – but the Tropicalia/Veloso and Minas Geraes/Milton Nascimento sound can be heard throughout this debut album. Musically considered a regional take on what was happening throughout Brazil in the early 70’s. A great mixture of guitar driven folk, psychedelia, cabaret, with some splashes of percussive tropical sounds. Not a ground breaking record, but a solid effort from this obscure Brazilian gem. Enjoy!

It’s kind of a sad thing that the Gypsy Kings had to put crossover gypsy rock on the global map. It’s not that their music is all that bad – but every time I go to a mediocre Italian restaurant, much to my chagrin, I’m subjected to their music playing in the background. I’ve even heard Bandolero blaring out of a lime green convertible Mustang once. Oh lord.

Before all that, there was a true king of this genre: Peret – the Spanish Romaní singer, guitarist and composer, who was pretty much the embassador of the Catalan Rumba sound. If you are interested in this music please do check out the articles Soul-Sides has about Peret and Los Amaya (O-dub always has the finger on the pulse). What I wanted to add was that I found this in the KRMX lot of 45’s I have. So even though Peret is Spanish, his music was still heard in Latin America, although I am not quite sure what impact it had, if any. Either way, two really solid tunes from El Rey de La Rumba Catalana. Enjoy!